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Saturday, 28 December 2013

In the absence of any air time until January 7, I've put together a selection of some of my favourite tracks from 2013. It's not definitive, I'm not claiming any authority and neither is it in any particular order. It's simply 21 tracks I've enjoyed this last year.
I haven't only enjoyed 21 tracks all year, obviously, but I had to stop somewhere and that just happens to be the number at which I stopped. Anyway, here you go:

Enough of this tomfoolery. Get on with it. Also, John brought props...

Frank Sidebottom - Christmas Is Really Fantastic
Originally released in 1986, there was a re-release in 2010 after the sad death of the man inside the enormous papier-maché head, Chris Sievey, and an associated campaign to get it into the charts. Frank's philosophy was that all songs should have proper endings, so they all ended like this one.

The Goons - I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas
From June 1956, with Spike Milligan on vocals and Peter Sellers at the piano and with the usual backing from the Ray Ellington Quartet. That's on the B-side of 'Bluebottle Blues', hence the reference to 'I thought that my side was better'. My dad had that on a 7" which now resides on my shelves.

Shonen Knife - All I Want For Christmas
Osaka's finest and their 1999 festive effort. That was written by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, but I guess it doesn't really fit their idiom.

Mighty Mighty Bosstones - This Time Of Year
Another band you wouldn't normally associate with the festive spirit, this is from 2007 and the album 'Medium Rare'.

Low - Just Like Christmas
One of my favourites from this time of year. This is off an EP called 'Christmas' which came out in 1999.

Sufjan Stevens - Get Behind Me, Santa!
Mr Stevens has done loads of festive collections. This is from 'Songs For Christmas volume 5' from 2006. He's up to volume 10 now.

Sultans Of Ping - Xmas Bubblegum Machine
It's not all about losing jumpers and giving people a yard of grass, y'know. This is the B-side to the 1993 single 'Michiko'.

Saint Etienne - Unwrap Me
One of my favourite bands, this is off a compilation of their many christmas-themed songs called 'A Glimpse of Stocking' which came out a couple of years ago.

The Ethiopians - Ding Dong (Christmas Bell)
One of the best things ever are Trojan Records' christmas compilations. Nothing says christmas to me like a bit of ska. This is from the one released in 2003, though the song first appeared in 1968.

Jacques Dutronc - Le Fille De Père Noël
Dutronc's first two albums were called 'Jacques Dutronc', rather unhelpfully. This is off the first of those, from 1966. The son of Father Christmas, in case you couldn't work it out.

Dr Dog - Christmas Party
Bit of a Beach Boys theme to it, which is never a bad thing. That's from the new EP 'Oh My Christmas Tree' which is out now.

The Breeders - Christmas Song
Recorded for a Pee Wee Herman TV show, that's basically Cannonball, their big hit, with bells on. And none the worse for it.

The Flaming Lips - Christmas At The Zoo
From back in 1995 off the 'Clouds Taste Metallic' album. Because we've all wondered what happens when the zoo is closed.

The Knife - Christmas Reindeer
Something a bit avant-garde, from these Stockholm avant-guardians. The song Reindeer came out in 2001 in the album 'The Knife', but like The Breeders previously, added some bells to christmas it up.

Röyksopp - Le Cantique Du Noël
Keeping it Scandinavian, this is their version of a French carol which dates back to 1847. Relaxing...

They Might Be Giants - Santa's Beard
Remember these? Well they're still around and putting new stuff out. This is from 2001 and the EP 'They Might Be Giants In Holidayland'.

The Gresham Flyers - Perfect Christmas Snow (Perfect Christmas Kiss)
I've been after this for ages. It came out in 2010 and I've not been able to put my hands on it until just now. It's on an EP called 'Merry Christmas From The Gresham Flyers' which is available as a pay-what-you-like download from their bandcamp page. I flippin' well love this record. Bloody ace.

Orbital - Christmas Chime
This year's must-have christmas single. Another one that's a reworking of an older track, in this case 1990's Chime, with additional bells. Go get it. Download it from iTunes now. Do it and do it often. Get it into the charts. Resistance is futile.

Half Man Half Biscuit - All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
It is not ever christmas until you've heard this, but now that you have, you are officially allowed to get festive. Best christmas record ever? Possibly.

And that's it for 2013. We're off for two weeks, but will be back in the New Year with more of what's good for your ears.
Before we depart though, here's last year's festive playlist for those that may have missed it.
Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, 11 December 2013

Junior Murvin - Apartheid
Not that I'm conflating the global importance of the two men, but I play this in marking two sad deaths in the week. Most of Junior Murvin's back-catalogue has been overlooked after his death just over a week ago, purely to reduce his output to Police And Thieves. That's unfair as there was much more to the man that that. And obviously, it's about a racially divided South Africa.

The Flaming Lips - Peace Sword
Written for the film Enders Game which came out in October. In fact, they wrote a whole EP for it, but this was the only one that was picked up. Everyone's a critic...

The Shall I Say Quois ft CTMF - It's Hard To Be Happy
What a joy this is. Their debut EP is 'Shall I Say Quoi?' and is out now. CTMF are Wild Billy Chyldish's band from which more in future shows.

Cover Version CornerJulian Cope/Death Cab For Cutie - World Shut Your Mouth
Not hugely different versions, but Death Cab have put their own stamp on it. Moreover, it's good to see someone as influenced by Julian Cope as I am. It was a non-album single from 2007 for Death Cab. The original is off 'Saint Julian' from 1987.

Courtney Barnett - History Eraser
I like it when people sing in their own accent. Ms Barnett is from Melbourne, Australia, and that's off an EP called 'How To Carve A Carrot Into A Rose'. Of course. Also, bonus points for the mellotron.

Nimi Dovrat - For Fun
Our first Israeli artist, this came out in May and is available as a free download. It reminds me of something. What, though?

The Wharves - Thick Syrup
An all-female 3-piece from London, this is new on a split single on Soft Power records and is out now.

Motorama - Winter At Night
To Russia now. These are from Rostov-on-Don and it's their new single.

One Degree of SeparationRod Stewart - Maggie MayDavid Rotheray - Maggie's Song
It's only when you listen to these back-to-back that you realise just how nasty the lyrics to Maggie May actually are. I mean, I like the song, but the sentiments within are really quite horrible. Maggie's Song is off David Rotheray's, ex of the Beautiful South, new album 'Answer Ballads'. It's a really good idea pulled off with great style, 'answering' famous records like Roxanne, Jolene, Sylvia's Mother. Maggie's Song is a big two fingers up to Rod.

Likely Lads - Irreverence
A new band to me, from my home town of York. Nice, jaunty stuff. I fear they'll forever be likened to Shed 7 and I'm not convinced that's a good thing.

Pixies - Another Toe In The Ocean
Brilliant. Another track off 'EP1'. They've lost another bassist called Kim since then as well. Careless.

Solomon Grey - Firechild
Wonderful. Solomon Grey isn't a person, this a duo and this came out on the 18th of last month.

The Orielles - Truth Be Told
These are from Halifax and used to be called The Oreohs. I'm guessing that H didn't save them from the copyright police... Anyway, jolly pleasant stuff and I'll be keeping an eye out from them in future.

Grimes - Circumambient
And we finish with another track from last year's smash album 'Visions' from Claire Boucher, aka Grimes. I don't care what anyone says, I like her stuff. And it throws forward nicely to Phil Brook's Down Tempo show that follows us.

Here's all of that via a combination of YouTube:

and Soundcloud:

Enjoy that, won't you.
Next week, our last show of the year, so you know what that means; Christmas Special. All the tracks you won't hear when out shopping. This was last year's. Any suggestions? Hit us up below the line or badger me on Twitter.

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

December already. This will remain a festive-free zone of sanity until Christmas Eve at the earliest. With that in mind, we start with one of the pertinent questions of the age.

Captain Ska - What's The Point Of Nick Clegg?
South-coast ska with a political edge. What's not to like? This came out in January 2012, but is no less relevant now than it was then. Quite the reverse, in fact - perhaps even more so.

Billy Bragg - No-one Knows Nothing Any More
Sticking with that sort of theme, the Bard of Barking and his thesis on what it wrong and what we do about it. This is from his last album, 'Tooth And Nail', which came out in March. Musically, that's as good as he's ever been.

††† - Bi†ches Brew
Crosses, they call themselves, despite the three-dagger motif. Needless to say, the T in 'Bitches' is also stylised the same. Suit yourself. Chino Moreno of the Deftones is behind this act and they've an album coming in February.

Cover Version CornerK-Klass/Cut Copy - Let Me Show You
I doubt I've heard that K-Klass tune since 1994 when it came out. Second year at university. That's a long time ago now... I digress. A proper club classic that's now had a thoroughly modern spin put on it by Cut Copy. They're from Melbourne and that's off 'Free Your Mind' which came out last month.

Keel Her - Don't Look At Me
The multi-talented Rose Keeler-Shaeffler's new single. And there's an album coming in February, which is exciting.

Resigned - New Cross Nervous Breakdown
These are new to me. I gave them a listen after noticing they were gigging with the year's stand-out breakthrough band, Eight Rounds Rapid. Not quite in the same vein, but jolly good nevertheless. The album 'Pleasure Unit' is out this month.

Tropical Contact - Nightmare Baby
A local band and I don't know a lot about them. I've not seen them in the pubs around and about or anything. I only found out about them as a friend did a photoshoot for them recently and thought it rude to not give them a listen. I'll certainly be checking local listings to find them in a live environment.

Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers - The Modern World
From 1972, a bit of a classic. That's off the album 'The Modern Lovers'. Typical of the era. Sounds a lot like The Stooges, which is never a bad thing.

One Degree of SeparationThe Delgados - I Fought The AngelsAbdoujaparov - Air Odeon Disco Pub (Here Comes Trouble remix)
A two-wheeled theme today. First, from 2004's 'Universal Audio' album, Motherwell's long lamented The Delgados named after 1988 Tour de France winner, the Spaniard Pedro Delgado. After that, one of the few Abdoujaparov records I can play on a family station, though I urge you to check out their back catalogue. They're Les Carter's - Fruitbat out of Carter USM - band and named after the Tashkent Terror, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, one of the few cyclists to win the points jerseys in all three Grand Tours.

Pariis Opera House - Dragndrop
Pariis with two Is and their first single off an EP called 'Uniiverse I', also with two Is. I guess that's going to be a recurring theme. "UK electro space-funk mavericks", they call themselves. Fair enough.

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

Dum Dum Girls - Lost Boys And Girls Club
From LA and off an album called 'Too True' which comes out early next year. I can see this being a reasonable hit. And good luck to them.

B Negao e Seletores De Frequencia - Essa E Pra Tocar No Baile (Chernobyl Atomic mix)
More adventures of my trip into Brazilian music with next years World Cup in mind. No idea what they're on about. Apologies to any Portuguese speakers if it offends, but I reckon that's a cracker.

Kagoule - Adjust The Way
Something a bit closer to home. These are from Nottingham and this is available as a free download.

Cover Version CornerSOS Band - Just Be Good To MeBeats International - Dub Be Good To Me
That Beats International record still sounds so good. From 1990, would you believe, and of course it was Norman Cook's first post-Housemartins project. Amazing how much the addition of a Clash sample transforms it from the original which now does sound rather dated. That's off an album called 'On The Rise' from 1983.

Maximo Park - Brain Cells
New stuff from these is always a treat. This is the first single from the forthcoming album 'Too Much Information' which is due out early in the new year. Can't believe we're already talking about next year...

Lazyboy - Pica Disco
Time for a Tuesday banger. Lazyboy are Dan Carey and Radio 1's Rod Da Bank. That's a cracking tune. Out now on Sunday Best records.

Silver Arm - Steady Like A Vein
A new single from these. It's not normally the sort of stuff I go for, but there's an undeniable energy about it all that draws me in.

One Degree of SeparationHey, Rube! - Bali HaiDino Lenny vs The Housemartins - Change The World (Dub mix)
Your link here is Hull, the beautiful and cultured city of Hull. The naming of the place as the 2017 Capital of Culture was easy to scoff at, which is why so many did, I presume. Hence why I put this 12-track playlist of Hull music up the other day and these are two favourites from that. The Hey, Rube! track is off last year's 'Can You Hear Me Mutha?' album, while the second is old favourites the Housemartins being mashed up in a rub-a-dub stylee by Italian DJ Dino Lenny.

Grandaddy - AM 180
Time for a couple more. First this, from 1997's 'Under The Western Freeway' album and which you may know from Charlie Brooker's TV shows.

Giorgio Moroder - The Chase
Throwing forward to Phil Brook's Down Tempo show which follows us, this from the Oscar-winning soundtrack to Midnight Express back in 1978.

And that'll do you. You can listen to these via a combination of the power of YouTube or via our Soundcloud page. Not all are on both, but you know what you're doing with a computer - you'll work it out.

Wednesday, 20 November 2013

Today, Hull was named as UK City of Culture for 2017. Hull is a large city that's suffered decades of neglect and consequent decline. It's problems are exacerbated by it's relative remoteness and it's size. It's problems are real and visible. As such, it's very easy to snipe, to look down one's nose at the place. The very title 'city of culture' is also easy to sneer at and mixing that with Hull has seen no little amount of condescension towards the place and it's people.

Well bugger that. It's a place with no little charm. There's some lovely architecture and the Old Town is a particular delight. For a city of it's size, it doesn't feel like it. It feels a lot more compact and, as a result, more homely than equivalents. It is, in short, a lot like most other cities, but with more of a readiness to accept and acknowledge the faults of the place without cocking a snook at a supposed rival city.

And for culture, it's got a headstart.

Now, we're all about music here, so I won't go on about Larkin or Godber or any of the other names you already know. Instead, I've put together a 12-track playlist of Hull bands to celebrate the city getting the cultural nod.

12tree - SugamommaJohn: The working name of Robin Twelftree. New single, available now and it's a reet banger.

Tony Von - N'HocaJohn: A big hello to the nation of Angola! This is off a compilation, 'Soul of Angola, 1965-70'. I was reading something the other day about the development of music in the country in the face of the protracted civil war following independence and how it's come along in different ways to surrounding countries. Interesting stuff.Carolyn: We've not really played much from Africa. Should do more often, but it's how you get to hear about these things.John: I'll keep my eyes out.

Lucas Santtana - Lycra Limao (Dub version)John: Continuing the Lusophone theme... The World Cup is in Brazil next year, as we all know, and I've been co-opted to do some stuff about Brazilian music in the run-up to that for another project, so you might get more of this. This is something I turned up in my initial investigations. Super stuff.

Cover Version CornerBlue Oyster Cult/The Beautiful South - Don't Fear The ReaperJohn: If you even know another Blue Oyster Cult record, I'll be surprised. I don't. That's the first Beautiful South record we've played in 50-odd attempts. I can't quite believe that.Carolyn: That does seem an alarming oversight. A very different version, that.John: Yeah, it's got that bossa nova feel to it, keeping the South American theme going. That's off an album of covers called 'Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs' from 2004 which we may well be coming back to. Blue Oyster Cult's is off 'Agents of Fortune' from 1976.

Daniel Avery - Free FloatingJohn: I've been meaning to play this for a while. Divine stuff, off the album 'Drone Logic' which came out earlier in the year.

Teen - Big TalkJohn: Reckon you liked that. Carolyn: Yes, I did. It doesn't all have to be about the bleeps and breaks you go for.John: Of course not. Teen are an all-girl 4-piece from Brooklyn and that's out now.

Fuzz - Loose SuturesJohn: That's how you end a record. About six or seven false endings, then thrash the living bits out of every piece of percussion before a power chord. Fuzz are a band Ty Segall is involved with and that's off a self-titled album.

Swim Deep - HoneyJohn: Another one I've been meaning to play for ages.Carolyn: I like that too. Really nice melodies and one I can see me singing along to.John: Another one I thought you'd like too. That's off 'Where The Heaven Are We' which came out in August.

One Degree of SeparationMoon Duo - Rolling OutWooden Shjips - Back To The LandJohn: Wooden Shjips from the album 'Back To Land' which is out now and before that, Moon Duo from 2012's 'Circles'. Both with a similar vibe, largely because Ripley Johnson is a driving force behind both bands. I think you can get a sense of where Hookworms and others are coming from as well with the organ-driven nature of both.Carolyn: Not quite as loud. Hookworms were loud.

Popstrangers - Rats In The Palm TreesCarolyn: Another one you can put a tick next to for me. John: They're from New Zealand and this is following on from their album 'Antipodes' which came out a while ago.

Trampolene - My Bourgeoisie GirlJohn: New stuff from Swansea. This is out next Monday, November 25.

Julian Cope - DustJohn: And dare we cite Julian Cope as an influence on Trampolene? After all, he had a hit of the same name, same spelling. This is off 1996's 'Interpreter' which marked something of a return to normality after the.... err.... experimentalism of 'Autogeddon' which preceded it. I didn't like that one.

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Nights drawing in, so pull up a muffin and get your ears round this week's show.

Factory Floor - How You SayJohn: Off their self-titled debut, which is brilliant. I think you thought it went on a touch too long.Carolyn: Yeah, it got a bit repetitive. Which was a shame because I was enjoying it.John: I love it and have often played it three or four times on a loop. The whole album is just great.

Satelliti - Young Wolf (Vessels remix)John: A duo from Italy remixed by one of our favourite Leeds purveyors of electronica. That's a proper old-style club stomper. Got to get up and dance.Carolyn: You? Dance?John: Hey, I threw a shape or two at The Orb gig on Sunday. After a fashion...

Public Service Broadcasting - Elfstedentocht part 1John: New stuff from these, made for the 'Explore The North' festival in Friesland, in the northern Netherlands. Elfstedentocht means 'eleven cities tour' and is a 200km ice-skating race which tours the eleven cities of Friesland, starting and ending at Leeuwarden. It takes place a maximum of once a year and only when the entire course of rivers and canals has an ice covering of 15cm and was last held in 1997.Carolyn: Very familiar to fans of the band, which we are.John: We'll play part two later, something a bit different.

Cover Version CornerArcade Fire/Drenge - Ready To StartJohn: Arcade Fire from the 2010 album 'The Suburbs' and another show favourite, Drenge. Brothers Eoin and Rory Loveless from up-country Derbyshire, making a bit of a splash these days. More power to their elbow.

Ben Watt ft Estelle - Pop A Cap In Yo' AssJohn: Formerly of Everything But The Girl, that's something a bit different from back in 2005, off an EP called 'Buzzin' Fly vol 2'. I think you liked that.Carolyn: Yes, it's quite clever lyrically, which I always appreciate. I'm more into words than you with your bleeps and breaks.

Femme - Fever BoyJohn: I think you liked that too.Carolyn: It's got an 'eh-oh' bit as well. If you're singing along before you've finished hearing it for the first time, it must be doing something right.John: It bounces along nicely. Femme is Laura Bettinson who has done a bunch of other stuff - Ultraista for one - and that's out next Monday, the 18th.

Fold - SalvationJohn: New to me these, they were introduced as 'if you like PSB, you'll like these'. Well I do. And I do. They're from Leeds and they've an EP out imminently.

Poppy Ackroyd - SevenJohn: That's just lovely. Really cinematic.Carolyn: When you said it was called Seven, I wondered if it was like Severn rather than the number as it has a flow to it, like a running river. Beautiful.

Warm Brains - Happy AccidentsJohn: New on Art Is Hard records, Warm Brains are Rory Attwell's latest thing. The EP 'Happy Accidents' is out now on cassette and comes with a football-style scarf.Carolyn: Cassette only? Why?John: A few labels are doing this. It's a resurgence in the medium, like vinyl only less so.Carolyn: I wish I'd not thrown your old Walkman away now.John: Err... I kept it.

One Degree of SeparationThe Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple HazeCreedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon RisingJohn: Creedence Clearwater Revival from the 1969 album 'Green River' and before that, Hendrix from 1967's 'Are You Experienced'. Do you want to tell them the link?Carolyn: Mondegreens. Misheard lyrics. The Hendrix track is probably the most famous example - 'scuse me while I kiss the sky/this guy' - and apparently a common mishearing with Bad Moon Rising is 'there's a bathroom on the right'.John: We turned down a few others. The Bee Gees with 'Bald Headed Woman', Moody Blues with 'Nights In Prestatyn'...Carolyn: ...and Robert Palmer. "You're gonna have to face it you're a dick in a glove".

Public Service Broadcasting - Elfstedentocht part 2John: And, as promised, part two of the new PSB track. My worry with them was that it would get tired quickly, but so far, it looks like there's legs in what they're doing. Long may it continue, because I think it's a neat idea executed brilliantly.

The Egg - Woodstock '69John: And we'll end with this. We played 'In Your Pocket' a while ago which is a great track, but I'd not really given the rest of the album much heed until recently. It's all good. 'Something To Do' is the album which came out last year. It's great.

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Nights drawing in, so curl up with us for an hour. Some shoe-gazing in Cover Version Corner and a controversy-laden One Degree...

Cults - I Can Hardly Make You MineCarolyn: That reminds me of a lot of things, none of which I can think of off the top of my head.John: Quite. Good though. Catchy, like. That's the lead track off the album 'Static' which came out last week.

Drenge - NothingJohn: We've not played these for a bit, so let's put that right. the album, 'Drenge', is a triumph and shows what you can do with an attitude, some drums and a guitar. More power to their elbow.Carolyn: Especially the drummer.

Marmozets - Move Shake HideJohn: And now something noisy from Bingley. That's out on November 18 on Roadrunner Records.

Cover Version CornerRide/Trespassers William - Vapour TrailJohn: Trespassers William get their unusual name from Winnie The Pooh. Something about a broken sign saying 'Trespassers Will' that Piglet says is the sign for his uncle's place and his full name is Trespassers William. Anyway, that is off the 2003 album 'Different Stars'. Before that, the original show-gazers from Oxford, Ride, from back in 1991. A record I am indebted to the man who is now my brother in-law for introducing me to. That's on an album called 'Nowhere'.

Gesaffelstein - Hate Or GloryJohn: We've had this chap on before. Mike Lévy from Lyon is Gesaffelstein and this is off the album 'Aleph' which is out next Monday.

The Michael Ainsley Band - Choose your Friends WiselyJohn: We played these last week and it seemed to go down well, so here's another track from the album 'Devil's In The Detail'. They're from Wakefield and I very much like the cut of their jib.

Paul McGladdery - Lush Green LeavesJohn: A singer/songwriter from Oldham, he's got a lot of tunes up on Soundcloud. There's quite a variety in there and this is my pick of what I've heard. His voice has an almost Ian Curtis-y feel in places of that. Worth checking out.Carolyn: Do they get lush green leaves in Oldham?John: I think they all blew over this side of the hills over the weekend.

Tigercub - MotherCarolyn: Are they supposed to sound that much like Nirvana?John: Suffice to say that I think they draw heavily on the '90s grunge thing for inspiration. They're from Brighton and that's off their debut EP.

DJ Yoda - Chop SueyJohn: Been meaning to play more of this guy's stuff for a while. He's Duncan Beiny from London and this is off last year's album, also called 'Chop Suey'. I guess it serves as something of a manifesto - take a bunch of other stuff, chop it all up and come up with something new.

One Degree of SeparationCarter USM - Bloodsport For AllThe Tom Robinson Band - (Sing If You're) Glad To Be GayJohn: Tom Robinson there, from the 'Rising Free' live EP back in 1978. Before that, from 1991's excellent '30 Something' album, Carter USM. Your link is that both were banned by the BBC. Carter were banned as their song about racism and bullying in the armed forces came out around the time of the first Gulf War and Glad To Be Gay fell foul of rules about promoting homosexuality. Instead, the BBC charts played a different track off the EP, 'Don't Take No For An Answer'. I'd like to think we've moved on as a society in the last 35 years.

Mourning Birds - The Last Thing (I Need)John: The second track we've played by these and they've still not hit four minutes of airtime. Compact and bijou, I think you call it.

The Wytches - Beehive QueenJohn: I've been after playing this for ages and finally got round to it. They're from Brighton and this came out in June. They're on tour with Future Of The Left whose latest album, I'm assured, has just been dispatched in my direction.Carolyn: So we'll be having something off that next week?John: Highly likely.

Lou Reed - Perfect DayJohn: With the sad passing of Lou Reed on Sunday, we've got to end on one of his. What a legacy he leaves behind.

Here's most of the wrapped up on YouTube. There's a fair few that aren't, but they're either linked to or embedded among the text above. You know what you're doing with a computer - you'll find it.
We're taking a break next week. Back in a fortnight.

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

The Michael Ainsley Band - Jerry Garcya LaterJohn: Like that a lot. From Wakefield, I only came across them a couple of weeks back.Carolyn: I see what they've done with the title...John: I like that a lot. Good energy to it.

Melt-Banana - Candy GunJohn: A new album from the Tokyo punksters.'Fetch' is the title and it's out next month. Bit of a long intro to that, but marvellous nonetheless. Always a treat.

Dharma Protocol ft Boy George - Coming HomeJohn: This came out in June, but I'm only just getting round to playing it now. It's a collaboration between Boy George and fellow Culture Club veteran Mikey Craig. Whether it's any more than just this track, I don't know.Carolyn: It didn't immediately sound like Boy George. His voice has changed quite a lot, which I suppose is understandable.

Cover Version CornerR Dean Taylor/The Fall - There's A Ghost In My HouseJohn: That was The Fall's first top 40 hit, all the way back in 1987. It's on the album 'The Frenz Experiment'. Suffice to say they've had a few line-up changes since then... Before that, R Dean Taylor with a Northern Soul classic. That came out in 1966, but only became a hit after a re-release in 1974.Carolyn: Is that an early Hallowe'en theme?John: No. In fact I hadn't twigged that it was coming around until you said that just then. Pure coincidence.

Los Campensinos! - What Death Leaves BehindJohn: A new album from these - the Cardiff collective's fifth - is out next week. 'No Blues' is the title and this is the first single taken from it.Carolyn: Sounds exactly like your sort of thing. Lyrically intelligent and bouncy.

Toy - Join The DotsJohn: It's 13 months since Toy's debut album, 'Toy', hit the shelves. It's great and we've played loads of stuff from it. Well they're not resting on any laurels. Here's the title track from the forthcoming second album, 'Join The Dots'. A long intro to this and it starts quietly, but it picks up where 'Toy' left off. Brilliant stuff.Carolyn: I know you like them a lot, but I find them a bit hit and miss. This is just too long. You could lose a minute - maybe two - and not lose much, if anything, from the record. Not bad, but I'm not as gushing about it as you.John: Fine then.... Be like that...

Girls In Hawaii - MissesJohn: To Belgium now. This comes from an album called 'Everest' which came out last month and is jolly pleasant indeed.Carolyn: Blissful, even. Very chilled.

Matt Berry - MedicineJohn: Now you may know Matt Berry from roles in The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace or as struggling thespian Stephen Toast. But he can also bang out a tune. That's off the album 'Kill The Wolf' which is really rather good. Nothing jokey about it - it's a proper record.Carolyn: Well I never would have put two and two together. That's really nice, that is.

One Degree of SeparationKenny Rogers and First Edition - Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)Soggy Bottom Boys - Man Of Constant SorrowJohn: That was Kenny Rogers' first top 10 hit, way back in 1966.Carolyn: Obviously the second one was from the soundtrack of 'O Brother Where Art Thou', but I'm not sure whether the first one was on a soundtrack. Are they both off either films starring George Clooney or directed by the Coen brothers?John: Right second time. You're right about the Soggy Bottom Boys. Just Dropped In was from The Big Lebowski.Carolyn: Oh, of course.

John Foxx and The Belbury Circle - Empty AvenuesJohn: Something new from ex-Ultravox man John Foxx and his latest project. This is the lead track off and EP also called 'Empty Avenues' and is wonderfully rich and textured. Lovely.

Jackson and His Computerband - Dead Living ThingsJohn: And to finish, Parisian artist Jackson Fourgeaud. This is off his second album, 'Glow', which came out last month, a long-awaited follow-up to his 2005 debut 'Smash'. Very cinematic.

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Wooden Shjips - These Shadows
Shjips with a J. New from these from the new album 'Back To Land' which is out on November 12. A nice, gentle entry into the show.

Factory Floor - Turn It Up
I've been after playing some stuff from the debut album by these - also called 'Factory Floor' - for a while. It's a cracking album and as I've been so lax, I'll make up for it by playing a couple of tracks from it tonight starting with this one.

Disclosure ft London Grammar - Help Me Lose My Mind
And from a very similar envelope, Disclosure. We've played a fair bit from the hit album 'Settle' which came out in May. I've been listening to this a lot this week. It's just dreamy.

Cover Version CornerBB King ft Robert Cray/Masters In France - Playin' With My Friends
I'm told that the Masters In France version is on an IKEA advert. I don't know - I normally mute the adverts. Anyway, it's a cracking tune and completely different to BB King's blues classic. Unmistakeable guitar sounds on that, off 'Blues Summit' from 1993. He's 88, y'know.

Pinkunoizu - Tin Can Valley
To Denmark now and these purveyors of noisy... well I don't know what you'd call it. Good though, innit. That's off 'the Drop' which came out in August.

Vessels - Elliptic
New from these off an EP also called 'Elliptic' which is out on November 25. I like what these do.

Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - My Terrible Friend
A little bit New Order, a little bit Cure, but also completely unique. Can't believe it's taken 50 shows to get round to playing them as I like them a lot. This is off 'Belong' which came out a couple of years ago.

The KVB - Run Away
Klaus Von Barrel lends his initials to The KVB and collaborates with Kat Day to make the magic happen. This is a forerunner to a new album due soon.

Aphrodite's Child - Four Horsemen
From 1970's seminal '666' album, which is prog-tastic. I got listening to it in the week off the back of hearing Mary Epworth do a live version of it which was fantastic. And '70s Greek prog deserves a revisit anyway.

One Degree of SeparationDeadwall - Metropolis, Of SortsHookworms - Form And Function
Not an obvious link today, bar them both being from Leeds. No, it's more a description of out Friday night out at Hebden Trades Club. We went to see Hookworms and they... were... loud. Brilliant, but loud. That track, taken from the album 'Pearl Mystic', played live was just a wall of sound. Deadwall provided support and were an utter delight and total surprise. That's off an EP that came out last year called 'Four Songs', but there's an album in the offing which I will very much look forward to.

Chemical Brothers ft Flaming Lips - The Golden Path
Why not, eh? It's easy to overlook the rich body of work by the Chemical Brothers. This is from 2003. Did you know they're not really brothers?

Factory Floor - Fall Back
We'll finish with the other Factory Floor track I promised. Eight and a half minutes of pulsing, electronic rhythm. I love it. The album is a triumph and more power to their elbow.

Wednesday, 9 October 2013

The Evens - All These Governors
Quite apposite for the shutdown of the US government. "When things should work but don't work, that's the work of all these governors". That's from 2005 from their debut album, 'The Evens'.

Drugstore - El President
Featuring Thom Yorke on vocals, that's from the 1998 album 'White Magic For Lovers'. I play it for two reasons. One, it's a paean to Salvador Allende, the democratically elected Chilean Marxist who was overthrown in a US-backed coup just over 40 years ago and also as it's on a new 'Best Of...' album out soon.

Mourning Birds - Oh Yeh
Why take 10 minutes to say what you can fit into 105 seconds? Another one of those bands I came across via the magic of twitter. A deliberately vague 3-piece from Kent, they say, and this is their debut single.

Cover Version CornerFaine Jade/MGMT - Introspection
That's MGMT's new single from the new album, their third, also called 'MGMT'. That came out on September 17. They've really put their stamp on it. Before that, the original from 1968's 'Introspection: A Faine Jade Recital'. A proper upstate New York hippy anthem.

The Magic of Mr Adrian Flanagan - I Don't Wanna Be Nice
It was National Poetry Day last week and of the many things was this oddity from the man behind show favourites the Eccentronic Research Council. It's a reworking of the John Cooper Clarke poem in his own, inimitable style and dates from 2009.

Silver Arm - Mind The Falcons
Another band using social media to get out there, we have played their new single - Dead Tongues - before and it seemed to go down quite well, so I asked if there anything else they had. This is their previous single and is what I've come to expect from them.

Yuck - Middle Sea
Their debut album, 'Glow and Behold', came out on September 30 and this, the first single off it, got a lot of airplay a while ago prior to release. No reason not to play it again. Pleasingly jaunty stuff.

Atari Teenage Riot - Collapse Of History
I wasn't familiar with these until a week ago or so, but the name spiked my interest so I went to find out more. They're from Berlin and this was out last year on the album 'Is This Hyperreal?'

One Degree of SeparationDobie Gray - Out On The FloorAl Wilson - The Snake
On the back of Paul Mason's excellent BBC mini-documentary on the subject, it's a Northern Soul special here. All spins and drops in the studio while these are on. If you were putting together a primer on the topic, these would be up near the top of the list. First, Dobie Gray from 1975 and second Al Wilson from 1968. Glorious.

Wolf Alice - She
A London 5-piece with a debut EP, called 'Blush', coming out on November 7 and this is my pick from that record.

Gary Numan - I Am Dust
Yes, that Gary Numan. His 20th studio album is out next week and this is the lead track from it. It's called 'Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind)' and he's been doing stuff like this for quite some time. Elements of past hits, but all utterly up-to-date.

Sabres Of Paradise - Wilmot
From the 1994 album 'Haunted Dance Hall'. They'd largely passed me by at the time, which is odd as this is the sort of stuff I was listening to back then. Fortunately, I still enjoy it today.

Cinematic Orchestra - Flite
Winding down into the Down Tempo show that follows, now. From back in 2002, off the album 'Every Day'. And... relax.

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Future Of The Left - The Male Gaze
Probably the most important album of the year is the new one from Future Of The Left. It comes out in a couple of weeks and it's called 'How To Stop Your Brain In An Accident'. Get it.

Razmataz Lorry Excitement - Skin
New from Kev Dosdale, Newcastle producer who operates as Razmataz Lorry Excitement and here has Natasha Hawes on vocals. This is out on the 21st of this month. One that I wanted to play last week but ran out of time for.

Parquet Courts - You've Got Me Wondering Now
New from these, who we've had before and hail from Brooklyn. This is off the EP 'Tally The Things You Broke' which came out last.... no, not last month. It's October now isn't it. It came out in August.

Cover Version CornerVelvet Underground/Toy - What Goes On
Not played any Toy for a while and this is as good a reason as any to rectify that. That was recorded in February. Before that, off the album 'The Velvet Underground' in 1969. Toy have really brought that up to date while also fitting it into their own idiom.

Bill Callahan - Expanding Dub
An interesting chap - from Maryland but spent part of his formative years in Knaresborough. His latest album is 'Dream River' and this is a dub version of the track Javelin Unlanding which features on that. Quite fabulous.

Four Tet - Parallel Jalebi
From the new album 'Beautiful Rewind'. That's Kieran Hebden's seventh studio album in his Four Tet guise.

Moodoïd - De Folie Pure
We played these Parisian funsters last week and it went down so well, we're doing it again. From the EP 'Moodoïd', that's got a lot going on in it. In a good way.

One Degree of SeparationLa Femme - Sur La PlancheDan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip feat. Flux Pavilion - Gold Teeth
OK, this one is tenuous. Keeping the French vibe going, first we had La Femme from April's 'Psycho Tropical Berlin' album which is excellent. Second, from the forthcoming new long player from Messrs le Sac and Pip 'Repent, Replenish, Repeat' comes their second advance release. They've always got something to say that's worth listening to and some heavy beats into the bargain. Thanks to Sunday Best records for sending me a radio edit that I could actually play on the radio.
The link? Well the La Femme record does include a line 'sur la planche, dans le sac' - on the plate, in the bag. It's good enough for me.

Les Jupes - Hold Me Down
Back on a French kick - ish. Canadian, this time, from Winnipeg. This is off an EP called 'Negative Space'.

Arcade Fire - Reflektor
And sticking on a Canadian kick - honestly, it sometimes appears like I haven't just thrown this together - the new one from these, the title track from their new album which comes out on the 28th of the month.

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Public Service Broadcasting - Night Mail
The new single from these off the acclaimed album 'Inform - Educate - Entertain' which if you haven't got yet, you really should sort out. Timely stuff, too. 'Letters for the rich, letters for the poor' goes the line in the poem WH Auden wrote for the film that's used here, also called Night Mail. Don't get too used to that if the sell-off happens.
We went to see these at Holmfirth a couple of weeks back. Brilliant. Again.

Suicide Dolphin Bombers - Made In China
This is a couple of years old, but I only heard it for the first time last week. Owen Morris, producer of Oasis's early albums among much else, is behind them.

Zero 7 - On My Own
A London two-piece with Danny Pratt guesting on vocals. That single was out in August and is just lovely.

Cover Version CornerJoy Division/Therapy? - Isolation
I can't believe that's the first Joy Division record we've played. That is quite a bleak song, and yet Therapy? somehow manage to convey that bleakness slightly better than Joy Division. The original is from 1980 and was on the album 'Closer'. Therapy?'s was off 1994's 'Troublegum'.

Eccentronic Research Council - Maxine's Dream
We have the word curious in the show title and we promise you curios. After the album '1612 Overture', Sheffield's ERC are back working with Maxine Peake and the first thing we've heard off the forthcoming long-player is this tribute to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and the work of Delia Derbyshire. Magnificent.

Mazes - Hayfever Wristband
That reminds me of about half a dozen different things, none of which I can immediately bring to mind. The album 'Better Ghosts' is coming soon and should be worth seeking out if this is a decent indicator of what's on it.

Moodoïd - Je Suis La Montagne
Right out of the Air sort of envelope, it shouldn't surprise you that these are Parisian. The EP, also called 'Moodoïd', came out on the 9th of this month. Mind the umlaut if you're looking for it.

Eagulls - Nerve Endings
A bit closer to home now - these are from Leeds and this is brand, spanking new. It's off an EP also called 'Nerve Endings' which comes out next Monday, the 30th of September. Loud, brash, great.

One Degree of SeparationTalking Heads - Right StartDavid Byrne - Dance On Vaseline
Not a huge leap here. In fact, I won't even patronise you by going over it. The first of those two doesn't get a lot of air-time. It's off 1980's 'Remain In Light' album. The second is one of those that will always remain in my top so-many records of all time. It's off the album 'Feelings' which came out in 1997. It feels so much older than that, probably because I'm so familiar with it. Again, I can't believe we've not had either of these before given my affection for Talking Heads and the work of David Byrne more generally. What have I been playing at?

Council Tax Band - The Bigger The Budget
A band I came across thanks to the power of Twitter and finally there's a track I can play on a family show. They're from Bedford and bill themselves as 'two guitars, synth, drums and shouting'. Fine by me. Also, if there's a better name for a band than that - other than perhaps 'Fern Britton's Gastric Band' which, to the best of my knowledge, doesn't actually exist - I don't want to know about it.

Incubus - Aqueous Transmission
We'll end with a track to throw forward to the show that follows, Down Tempo with Phil Brook. These are from California and it comes off the 2001 album 'Morning View'. Soothing.

Tuesday, 10 September 2013

Bit of a German theme this week, quite by accident, but we kick off this week's show with something more Gallic.

Melanie Pain - Black WidowJohn: That's Pain as in French for bread and she used to sing with Nouvelle Vague. This is off her album 'Bye-Bye Manchester' which came out last year.

Joanna Gruesome - Sugar CrushJohn: A five-piece from Cardiff, that's of their debut album 'Weird Sister' which is out today, so you're bang up to date with it.

Wedding Present - Two BridgesJohn: New stuff from these! Be excited! They released this last week on their YouTube channel. No word on whether this is a portent for a new album as yet, but we wait with breath duly bated.

Cover Version CornerJohn Kongos - He's Gonna Step On You AgainHappy Mondays - Step OnJohn: One of those where the cover has surpassed the original in many ways. From 1990 that and the album 'Thrills, Pills and Bellyaches', it made it to number five in the charts. Before that, John Kongos from back in 1971. He's from Johannesburg and that made it to number four. Easily his biggest hit.Carolyn: So it actually did better than the Mondays even though it's - arguably - less well known.John: He's still recording, apparently. That track is in the Guinness Book of Records as it was the first record to use a sample.Carolyn: In 1971? Wow.

Roosevelt - ElliotJohn: One of the German tracks I promised. Roosevelt is an artist from Koln and other than that, I don't know much about him.Carolyn: International man of mystery, eh? Are you sure he's doing it right?John: Well, people are in this game for different ends. Anyway, I really like that. It's off an EP also called 'Elliot' which is out now and follows his debut album of last year which we played something off.

Applescal and Ryan Davies - CreaturesJohn: We played a track from Applescal, Amsterdam producer Pascal Terstappen that is, a while ago - Spring And Life - which went down really well. Now he's teamed up with Ryan Davies from Germany and produced an EP called 'Creatures' from which this is the lead track.Carolyn: Sort of dreamy, late-night stuff.

Artichoke Heart Souffle - Don't Forget About MeJohn: That's jaunty isn't it.Carolyn: Very! I like it though.John: They're a brother and sister act - Brad and Stacy Michaelson from LA - and that's off 'Treble And Bass' which is out now.Carolyn: I'll be checking that out.

One Degree of SeparationMr Scruff - Jazz PotatoHot Chip - Over And OverJohn: One of Hot Chip's better known ones, that's from back in 2004 off the album 'Coming On Strong'. Before that, Mr Scruff - Andy Carthy from Macclesfield - from 1997's self-titled album. Potato. Chip. I think you get it...

Seams - RiloJohn: One last German one - sort of. Seams is James Welsh - born in Britain, but based in Berlin - and that comes off the album 'Quarters' which comes out next Monday, the 16th.

Cloud Control - ScarJohn: New single from the New South Wales band. This is getting airplay everywhere, but I don't mind giving it a spin too. That's off 'Dream Cave' which was out last month.

And that'll do us for this week. All that's wrapped up in a YouTube playlist here apart from the Applescal and Ryan Davies track which you can find above. We're off next week, bumped for live football commentary, so we're back in a fortnight.

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

We're on Tuesdays now, so not exactly kicking any weeks off. We'll sort that out shortly, but meantime, here's what went out.

Mary Epworth - SeptemberJohn: Short and sweet to kick us off. That's the new single from Bishop Stortford's Miss Epworth and jolly good it is too.

Franz Ferdinand - Treason AnimalJohn: The new album, which came out a week ago, from these is 'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions' and largely as you'd expect. This stood out for me for it's Joy Division-esque intro and bassline.

Mos Def ft Slick Rick - AuditoriumJohn: Mos Def has become one of the leading critics of America's foreign policy, to the point where he volunteered to be waterboarded in order to allow people to see for themselves whether it was torture or not. This, off 2009's album 'The Ecstatic' is about the war on terror and it feels like an important time to bring such matters up.

Cover Version CornerArcade Fire/Tears For Fears - Ready To StartJohn: Tears For Fears are back! The two have put their acrimonious split behind them and started recording again. They say that having heard their stuff re-used and sampled all over the place while they've been away, they fancied doing something with an existing record. Arcade Fire plus a bit of drum 'n' bass is what we get. The original is off 2010's 'The Suburbs' and Arcade Fire have a new album, 'Reflektor', out soon.

The Dials - Rose MarieJohn: New from these, this is off a forthcoming, as-yet untitled album which is due out on October 1. They'd better get a name soon. I'd have thought the artwork would have to be signed off shortly. Very Inspiral Carpetsy organ.Carolyn (stepping into the room for the first time): Which is probably why you like it.

Belle and Sebastian - Your Cover's Blown (Miaoux Miaoux remix)John: New but old but new. The new album is 'The Third Eye Centre' and consists of remixes, B-sides, unreleased goodies and what have you. I like the way it's almost like two songs in one.

Broken Arm - Guilty ConscienceJohn: Noisy and from Leeds, that's from an EP called 'Life Is Short' which comes out on October 14.Carolyn: Yes, that came on pretty loud and quick. Apologies if it woke anyone else up.

One Degree of SeparationMelt Banana - Shield For Your Eyes, A Beast In The Well Of Your HandMelt Yourself Down - CamelJohn: Melt Yourself Down are, I'm told, quite the live treat. Saxophones, brass, noise, general chaos. That's off their self-titled album that came out a while ago. Before that, Tokyo's Melt Banana off their 2003 album 'Cell-Scape'.Carolyn: Melt? Is that it? Are you just phoning these in now?John: It's a link. Of sorts.Carolyn: I'm sure you used to put more effort in.

Black Yaya - Paint A Smile On MeJohn: And we finish with this jaunty number from David Ivar from Paris off the album 'Eerie Themes and Tales Of Revenge'.

Here's all them via the magic of YouTube, apart from the Mary Epworth and Broken Arm tracks which are above.
Now, what to call the show...?

Pearl Jam - Mind Your MannersJohn: New from these - their first stuff in four years. I never was a big fan, but I can change. That's off the album Lightning Bolt, their tenth and first in four years, which is out in October.Carolyn: It's a very rocky opening to things today.John: It'll change, don't worry.

Cover Version CornerNirvana/Sinead O'Connor - All ApologiesJohn: I'm in constant wonder at the beauty of Sinead O'Connor's singing. That's on her 1994 album 'Universal Mother'. Before that, Nirvana, off In Utero which is 20 years old now, released in August 1993.Carolyn: Sometimes, I think O'Connor's personality and everything else she does makes you overlook what she's most noted for. But yeah, that's quite something.

Emiliana Torrini - Speed Of DarkJohn: Off the forthcoming album Tookah which comes out on September 19. She's from Iceland - not a very Icelandish name.Carolyn: No, but an Iceland sort of sound. It reminds me of some other Ice-ish stuff we've had on the show before. Sort of ethereal and other-worldly.John: It's three minutes 45, but feels like five or six minutes. I don't know how she manages that.

Barbarossa - PagliaccioJohn: Barbarossa is James Mathé and that's out now.Carolyn: It started quite stripped back, sort of like the xx. Didn't end up like that.

Idea Shower - TimeJohn: We've played a lot of Hookworms on this show. This is three-fifths of them, doing something a little less... experimental than we've become used to.Carolyn: They've not split already have they?John: No, just a side project. And jolly good it is too.

FutureAges - Under OrdersJohn: One I've been meaning to play for a while, this came out in June on an EP called 'EP 001'. I see what they've done there.Carolyn: Unlike the Emiliana Torrini one, this is five minutes and some and feels like it. Just a bit too long, I think.

Crocodiles - CockroachJohn: Quite jaunty, that. They're from San Diego and that off 'Crimes of Passion' which came out a couple of months ago.

One Degree of SeparationPixies - Monkey Gone To HeavenIan Brown - Dolphins Were MonkeysJohn: Ian Brown, from his debut solo album following the Stone Roses splitting, 'Unfinished Monkey Business' in 1998. Before that, the Pixies from 1989 and the album 'Doolittle'. Monkeys. That's your link.Carolyn: Is that it? Lots of animals today - cockroaches, crocodiles, hookworms and now monkeys.

Drums Of Death ft Yasmin - TrueJohn: Drums Of Death is Colin Bailey from Oban in Scotland. That came out in June.Carolyn: When you said we were having a track from Drums Of Death, I was expecting more quite dark rock. Not that. I like that.John: It's got that UK garage feel you might have expected in the late 1990s, but updated. I reckon that qualifies as a Monday night banger.

Satin Jackets - Come OnJohn: Don't know a lot about these other than they're from Germany. I did say we'd get away from rock and onto more electronica though.Carolyn: You did. I like that one as well.

Liam Lynch - My United States Of WhateverJohn: From 2002 and the album 'Fake Songs'.
And that'll do us for this week. Not in next week due to the holiday and not in on Mondays after that. We're shifting to Tuesdays now where we'll need a new name as we shan't be kicking off any weeks there unless we redefine the week like Louis XIV or something. Thinking caps on.

Monday, 5 August 2013

Quite by accident, there's a bit of a 1970s feel to tonight's show. Even the new stuff.

Iconili - MulatoJohn: From Belo Horizonte in Brazil, that came out earlier this year. Taking cumbia themes and updating them a bit. Good work from the session xylophonist. Definitely a '70s vibe to it.Carolyn: Just a bit.

Sara Lowes - I Find YouJohn: That's quite lovely. Brand new from the Mancunian singer and off the EP 'All For The Dream (With The Means Of A Well-Planned Getaway).

Outfit - House On FireJohn: This is their second single which is out now. Rated as the most exciting band to come out of Liverpool in donkeys years and recently named by the NME among their 25 top bands to go see.Carolyn: Even above the Reynolds Girls?John: Even them.

Cover Version CornerA House - Endless ArtDave Couse - Endless Art '06John: Cheating a bit here... The original came out in 1991 on the album 'I Am The Greatest'. Several years later, Dave Couse, now a solo artist and formerly the lead singer of A House, updated the song with artists who had died in the interim. The original was criticised for only including men and, despite claiming they thought Joan Miro was a woman, recorded More Endless Art which is all women. Well apart from Walt Disney's Minnie Mouse...Carolyn: Yeah, but even if Miro was a woman, that would possibly be worse - tokenism at it's worst.

Pet Shop Boys - AxisJohn: New from these and something of a return to basics.Carolyn: I've always been a fan, but some of the stuff in the last... almost 30 years, I guess, hasn't really done much for me. This, though. Yes.John: The album is 'Electric' and came out last month.

Babe Ruth - The MexicanJohn: 1975 now and these are from Hatfield in Hertfordshire. That came from an album also called 'Babe Ruth' and has been used in soundtracks and sampled half to death.

Washed Out - Don't Give UpJohn: Washed Out is Ernest Greene from Perry in Georgia. That's off an album called 'Paracosm' which is out this month.

One Degree of SeparationKraftwerk - Das ModellKarl Bartos - AtomiumJohn: An easy link here - Bartos was one of the original four in Kraftwerk of whom Ralf Hutter is the last one left.Carolyn: So they're like the Drifters now then?John: Well no, because it's not like each of the original line-up are now touring as Kraftwerk.Carolyn: More like the Sugababes then?John: No, there's none of them left. I play the German version of The Model - that's from the 1978 album 'Die Mensch Maschine' - simply because I prefer it. Karl Bartos's album 'Atomium' surfaced earlier this year.

Physics House Band - TeratologyJohn: New from these lads from Brighton. We were trying to work out what genre you'd call that while it was playing. It's very prog.Carolyn: Well you did say there'd be a '70s feel to proceedings...

Therapy? - Opal MantraJohn: One of those bands I flipping well loved when I was a teenager. In clearing and tidying the house, I found a load of their old stuff. This was a non-album single in 1993 which I have on a cassette which dates it instantly. Bloomin' good though.

Tricky - ParenthesisJohn: Off his recent 'False Idols' album. Paren-thesis - I see what he did there.

Rodriguez - Establishment BluesJohn: And finish on a 1970 record from Sixto Rodriguez. Off the album 'Cold Fact'.

Monday, 29 July 2013

Liverpool's had a few scenes, including one semi-popular four-piece beat combo they do like to mention a bit, as has Manchester, Bristol and of course London. Well it's high time Yorkshire's music scene was celebrated and with this being the week in which Yorkshire Day falls - it's on Thursday, August 1 - what better time?

Pulp - Do You Remember The First Time?John: I remember the first time I heard this. From way back in 1994 and their breakthrough album 'His n Hers'. I'm conscious that Sheffield will feature a lot in this selection tonight...

Wedding Present - The Girl From The DDRJohn: Up the M1 to Leeds now. From last year's 'Valentina' which I haven't listened to enough, a take of holiday romance behind the iron curtain.

Fila Brazillia - NeanderthalJohn: Take the M62, A63 and Clive Sullivan Way and it's to Hull. Doesn't that dreamy, summery track evoke memories of a stroll along the gentle, lapping waters of the Humber? That came out in 2007.

Cover Version CornerThe Human League/Heaven 17 - Being BoiledJohn: Back down the M18 to Sheffield, and this works as a cover version and our other format section, One Degree of Separation what with Heaven 17 being formed by ex-Human Leaguers Martyn Ware and Ian Marsh. I think you can hear the musical difference that caused that split. The Human League version, from 1978 originally and the album 'Reproduction', is really stripped back, bare, experimental. Heaven 17 tart it up, make it more grandiose, maybe a little bit pompous. That's off the 2008 album 'Naked As Advertised'.

Gang Of Four - I Love A Man In UniformJohn: Back to Leeds and everyone's favourite agit-punk rockers with an avowedly anti-war song from 1982 off the album 'Songs Of The Free'.

The Crookes - AfterglowJohn: Love that. Punchy, lively and a woah-oh-oh-oh bit.Carolyn: I like that. I love a good chorus.John: Thought it's be up your street. That's off last year's album 'Hold Fast'.

Hey, Rube! - Bali HaiJohn: Another laid back, dreamy comfort blanket of a track from Hull. Must be something in the water... That's off last year's album 'Can You Hear Me Mutha?'

Chanteuse and The Crippled Claw - You're A FreakJohn: Back to Sheffield for this and they've still got electro-pop covered down there. The Crippled Claw is Adrian Flanagan of show favourites the Eccentronic Research Council and Chanteuse is singer Candie Payne. I'm not sure how a leopard dances on the floor, but that's just lovely and verges on the 1980s Doctor Who score at times which is never a bad thing. More please.

LFO - LFOJohn: And that's how Leeds used to do it. You've no idea how much pleasure it gives me to play that on the radio and really test the bass in the headphones.Carolyn: Were you getting a bit of a dance on there?John: A little bit. Man, that takes me back. 1990, that came out in, off the album 'Frequencies'. Low-frequency oscillator, before you ask.

Comsat Angels - Independence DayJohn: Another band I've been trying to squeeze in for ages, but no excuse today. That's just a great record. From 1980 and the album 'Waiting For A Miracle'.

One Degree of SeparationArctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your ChairThe Last Shadow Puppets - My Mistakes Were Made For YouJohn: There's this band called The Arctic Monkeys, right. You might not have heard of them, but I reckon they're going to be big. Obviously your link here is Alex Turner. I love the guitar on that Last Shadow Puppets track which is off the 2008 album 'The Age Of The Understatement. The Arctic Monkeys record comes off 2011's 'Suck It And See'.

Terrorvision - TequilaJohn: Breaking the Sheffield/Leeds/Hull hegemony we've built up here, it's a big hello to Bradford for our last track. From 1999, this, off the album 'Shaving Peaches'. Do drink sensibly, folks...

Here's all that in a YouTube playlist apart from the High Hazels, Hey, Rube! and Chanteuse and The Crippled Claw tracks, links to which are in the relevant sections.
So much more that I wanted to play. Babybird (not THAT one), Longpigs, Utah Saints, Richard Hawley, The Ukrainians, Cabaret Voltaire, Spectrals, Menace Beach, The Mekons.... I'm going to expand the playlist out to include a load more stuff and you feel free to use that in your Yorkshire Day celebration parties.

Monday, 22 July 2013

Drenge - Face Like A SkullJohn: Show favourites, this is their new single. They suddenly gained national notoriety when namechecked in Tom Watson MP's letter of resignation from his post as Labour's election strategist. Not unwelcome publicity, but they seemed quite bemused by it all.Carolyn: Yes, it was more about how he was urging Ed Miliband to make sure he had time for the wider pursuits in life. Either way, good band, good feel to it all and more power to them.

Warren Peace - FRANKLYSTVNJohn: That's a couple of records in one from Warren Borg and Buddy Peace with some philosophising on love and life from one of our favourite artists Scroobius Pip.Carolyn: And why not?John: I guess we pronounce it 'frankly Steven'.

Silver Arm - Dead TonguesJohn: Another band that came to my attention via Twitter. 'Listen to this if you like', they said, 'or if not, just imagine a horse with a machine gun ripping your face off'. Which is fair enough I suppose. I don't know a lot about them - they're from down south somewhere - but I like their energy and attitude.

Cover Version CornerSmall Faces/Ride - That ManJohn: Same song, one stripped back and bare, the other massively produced and engineered within an inch of it's life. The original is off 1967's 'From The Beginning' while Ride's is off a compilation called 'Long Agos And Worlds Apart: A Tribute To The Small Faces' which came out in 1995. While trying to find out more about that record, I searched online for 'ride that man'. My advice - don't.Carolyn: Ah. Yeah. Good point. Don't try that at home everyone.John: Or do while you still can. Don't do it at work though. Four pages...

Hot Vestry - CommiserationsJohn: Also in the Drenge envelope a bit, these are from Macclesfield and it's off an EP called 'Tell Me How It's Done'. I like that a lot.Carolyn: The ending drags out a bit. Otherwise, yeah.

The Vaccines - Melody CallingJohn: New from these and a bit different to normal. Nice and summery though. Now you like these - how does that stack up?Carolyn: I want a big chorus to sing along to. I can't sing that in the car.John: Oh. No.

NYPC - Hard KnocksJohn: NYPC is the new name for New Young Pony Club. The first half of the show was guitar-dominated, so it's time to electronicify it up a bit. That's new and is released on August 12.Carolyn: It went a bit weird towards the end, but yeah, not bad.

Deutsche Amerikanische Freundschaft - Vershwenden Deine JugendJohn: More electronica, this time from 1981 and Dusseldorf. It means 'wasting our youth' and is off the album 'Gold Und Liebe'. I play that because we played a record by Gesaffelstein recently and these are an influence. You can see the lineage and that these things go in cycles. This sort of thing is back.

The Clean - Diamond ShineJohn: From Dunedin in New Zealand, this is off their 1990 debut album 'Vehicle'. Always worth a revisit.

One Degree of SeparationThe Altered Hours - Sweet Jelly RollLemon Jelly - Nice Weather For DucksJohn: I play that Lemon Jelly track in an ironic sense of our recent weather. That's off the 2002 album 'Lost Horizons' which we've probably done to death on the show now. Last time they featured in this section, it was a lemon link. This time, it's the jelly. 'Sweet Jelly Roll' is the EP from Cork psych-rockers The Altered Hours and that came out in April.

Daughn Gibson - You Don't FadeJohn: An interesting character. A former trucker from Pennsyvania, the album is 'Me, Moan' and it came out last month.Carolyn: So not Dawn? I figured it was a bloke. That's a rich and interesting voice.

Pixies - DebaserJohn: From way back in 1989 - where does the time go? - and the album 'Doolittle'. We play that as it contains oblique references to the Bunuel film Un Chien Andalou and we have Andalucian visitors in town on Wednesday when Town play Real Betis. Tenuous? Anyway, we'll be covering that game later in the week.

Here's all that in a YouTube playlist for you apart from the Warren Peace track. Links in the heading for that section. There's also a better, studio, version of the Drenge record up there too.

Monday, 15 July 2013

It might be the heat in our airless bunker, but shit ain't working tonight. CD players not reading discs, for instance. Either way, we're pretty stuffed, but what that does mean is I can stick it up here instead and pretend I did a show. As long as I don't admit it to anyone, you'll not be any the wiser. Oh...
Also, it allows me to open with the track I wanted to.

B Dolan - Which Side Are You On?
Poet, activist, rapper, Rhode Island's B Dolan is pretty much a renaissance man. Sampling the old 1930s protest song of the same name, that's off last year's 'House Of Bees vol 2' EP.
I had to pull this initially. I do vet tracks before play to establish suitability for a fairly MOR station, but found a couple of swears I overlooked. Still, that doesn't matter to you, right. Moreover, any excuse to link to a game of Hip Hop Guess Who...

The Black Tambourines - Bodies
These are new to me. As I've said before, I like Twitter. What often lets it down though are the suggestions of who to follow. This week, however, it redeemed itself by suggesting I follow Art Is Hard records to whom these are signed. They're based in the south-west and Black Tambourines are from Falmouth and this is their new single. Very summery it is too.

The Cairo Gang - Take Your Time
Emmett Kelly and band are back with a new album, 'Tiny Rebels', which is out a week today and this is the first track to come off that. They're from California and it has that sort of San Francisco '60s feel about it.

Cover Version CornerThe Monks/The Fall - Higgle-dy Piggle-dy
The Monks were American GIs based in Cologne and had some short-term success with some good old garage rock. That's from the 1966 album 'Black Monk Time'. The Fall are an institution and that's off a 2006 b-side to 'Monk Time' which was used in support of the documentary film 'The Monks: The Transatlantic Feedback'.

MJ Cole - Sincere
Perfect for a long, hot summer night. Off the 1998 album 'Sincere', this was a hit in 2000 at the peak of the UK garage scene. It still sounds great.

Jackamo Brown - When She Comes
The mysterious Jackamo Brown doesn't do interviews, doesn't do gigs, had to be persuaded it was worth putting a record together. This was released last year, but I'm only just coming to it now. The album is 'Oh No, The Drift Of The World' and is lovely. It's on Scrobius Pip's, who we saw playing Guess Who earlier, Speech Development label and it's a joy.

Breathe Out - Dead Friends
Another one from the Art Is Hard stable. These are from Plymouth and this perky little number was out in March on the 'Absolute True Love' EP. Nice false ending.

The Loft - Up The Hill And Down The Slope
An early signature to Creation Records. This is from 1985.

/please/ - Chevrons
Back to the Art Is Hard treasure trove. /please/ is Ellen Davies. 18 years old. Blimey. That's out next week.

One Degree of SeparationManic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This, Then Your Children Will Be NextThe Smiths - The Headmaster Ritual
From 1998's 'This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours', it doesn't take a genius to work out that that Manics track is avowedly an anti-fascist record. Which is probably how those dickheads the EDL used it on a propaganda video and are now being sued by the band. Johnny Marr told David Cameron he wasn't allowed to like The Smiths after the spam-faced git picked one of their tracks as one of his Desert Island Discs. So there's your link - inappropriate use by people who really don't get it. That track is from 'Meat Is Murder' released in 1985 and has one of the all-time great intros.

Hugh Cornwell - God Is A Woman
The ex-Strangler is 63 now, but still going strong. His latest album, from which this comes, came out last month and is called 'Totem and Taboo'.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Mladic
It's difficult to get tracks by these on as they are invariably massive, like this 20-minute epic. The album is 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!' and is the Montreal avant-gardistes fourth studio effort, a first in ten years, which came out last year.

And that'll do you. Hopefully we'll actually get back on air next week. Meantime, most of that's in this here YouTube playlist. A couple of tracks aren't, but there are links above if you have a poke around.

Monday, 8 July 2013

Nothankyou - Know YourselfJohn: I've barely been able to tear myself away from this since I first heard it. This is a collaboration between Tom Vek and Dirty Projectors vocalist Olga Bell and it's flipping brilliant. This is out on a double-A side single released on August 5.

Hookworms - Radio TokyoJohn: We like these. From Leeds, this is off their album 'Pearl Mystic' and is probably the most accessible record on there.Carolyn: What - in terms of length?John: Yes and less... experimental.

Owiny Sigoma Band - Harpoon LandJohn: Another band we've had before, taking London beats and Kenyan traditions. Short and sweet, that's off 'Power Punch' which came out in April.Carolyn: It sounds like it should be older than a couple of months ago. Stuff I like normally turns out to be 20 years old and more.

Cover Version CornerCaptain Beefheart and The Magic Band/The Black Keys - Her Eyes Are A Blue Million MilesJohn: I've been threatening to play Beefheart for ages, and finally I have. That's a relatively easy way in to his oeuvre, before it all went a bit skew-whiff with Trout Mask Replica. That's off the 1972 album 'Clear Spot'. Then the Black Keys version which is remarkable for sounding more Beefheart than Beefheart did and is off a split single with the Flaming Lips from 2009.

Pinkunoizu - MopedJohn: New stuff from Denmark. That's off an album called 'Drop' which is out next month.

Toy - She's Out Of My HeadJohn: We like these and we've not played them for a while. This isn't off their critically acclaimed album 'Toy', rather a B-side to the single version of My Heart Skips A Beat which we've also played. Really like that.

Disclosure - StimulationJohn: A proper foot-stomping, old-school floor-filler. These are big and, for me, won Glastonbury. That's the third track we've played off their hit album 'Settle'.

Boards Of Canada - New SeedsJohn: I'm a big fan of these and a new album is something to savour. Dark, moody, brooding, cinematic... The album is 'Tomorrow's Harvest' and came out last month.

Hot Chip - Dark And StormyJohn: New stuff from these, which is always fun. Hopefully a new album to follow shortly.

One Degree Of SeparationThe Lemonheads - It's A Shame About RayLemon Jelly - Space WalkJohn: Not a tricky link this week. If life gives you lemons, play Lemon Jelly - that's what I reckon. That's off 2002's 'Lost Horizons' album and features astronaut Ed White on 1965's Gemini 4 mission which is one of the more unique samples you'll find. Before that, Evan Dando and the Lemonheads off the 1992 album of the same name.Carolyn: Given it was an easy link today, is next week's going to be one of your obscure ones?John: I don't know yet.

Young Rising Sons - I Want It AllJohn: I like Twitter. It allows me to share the stuff I play each week and also allows people to recommend stuff to me. Which these did. They're from New Jersey, have an album called 'Highway Town' out now and available for free download. Very commercial, that, in a Black Keys style.Carolyn: By commercial do you just mean that I like it?John: It has mass appeal is all. I just hope they appreciate we don't have a wide listenership and I'm not a massively influential player in the music industry.

Inspiral Carpets - Directing TraffikJohn: Unmistakeable. That's off their 1990 debut album 'Life' and is probably my favourite of all their stuff.Carolyn: 1990... I feel old.John: Still going strong and making new stuff. More power to their collective elbow.

The Horrors - I Can See Through YouJohn: From Southend, this is a couple of years old now, off 2011's 'Skying'.

Monday, 1 July 2013

Back once again with a bunch of stuff to get you going for another week.

Gesaffelstein - PursuitJohn: Now consider your week kicked off. That's fabulous.Carolyn: It's very bassy.John: I know. Great innit. Gesaffelstein is a chap called Mike Levy and he's from Lyon.

Can - I Want MoreJohn: From the 1976 album 'Flow Motion', we play that so you can see the lineage of a number of contemporary bands - Hookworms, Toy and others - from the Teutonic origin. These hail from Cologne and were part of that whole German experimental scene in the late '60s and early '70s.

Temple Songs - Passed CaringJohn: I really like that. Short, punchy, lots of reverb. They're from Manchester and this is their debut single.

Cover Version CornerWoody Guthrie/Ry Cooder - Vigilante ManJohn: Woody Guthrie, a bit of a hero. That's from 'The Asch Recordings vol 3' from 1944 and it's become a bit of a blues staple. Ry Cooder's version was on 1972's 'Into The Purple Valley' album, but that recording was from an edition of The Old Grey Whistle Test.Carolyn: We normally play two totally different versions of a song here. I'm not getting that.John: Different techniques with the slide guitar and that. Also, I was short of a bit of inspiration this week. Fundamentally, though, two great records.

RoBoT//aLiEn - Jeremy Kyle vs Mad Dog DionJohn: Brand spanking new. RoBoT//aLiEn is a singer/songwriter from Chorlton near Manchester and the album is 'You're The Problem That Will Not Go Away'. 17 tracks, 40 minutes.Carolyn: I really like that. Bit of a jump from the previous two records though.

Eccentronic Research Council - Another Witch Is DeadJohn: These are from Sheffield and sound like nothing else. This is taken from last year's album '1612 Underture' which is all about the Pendle witch trials and features Maxine Peake on vocals.Carolyn: Twinkle from dinnerladies. Among other things.John: I was going to play this anyway, but late last week they put out an EP called 'Bun Fight In The Open University Staff Room' which is flipping brilliant. They're also a great follow on Twitter, @The_E_R_C

Parquet Courts - Stoned And StarvingJohn: Love this. Sounds like Julian Cope in his late '80s pomp, which is never a bad thing as he's always been one of my favourites. Parquet Courts are from Brooklyn and this is off 'Light Up Gold' from last year.

Disclosure - Confess To MeJohn: These are the next big thing, we've played them before and consider that another Monday night banger from the smash hit album 'Settle'. They stormed it at Glastonbury over the weekend, so I'm told. I don't really know, I wasn't there. All that dirt, all those people... It's not really for me.Carolyn: No, I can't see you there. Well I can, but not happy. Just scowling at people.

Pixies - BagboyJohn: New stuff! From the Pixies! No Kim Deal, which is sad, but new stuff from the Pixies! For the first time since 2004. That's just great and I've basically had it on a loop since I first heard it. Get it as a free download now.

One Degree of SeparationTV On The Radio - Dancing ChooseThe Adverts - No Time To Be 21John: It was no time to be 21 in 1978 and I suspect it very much remains the case today. That's The Adverts from the album 'Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts'. Before that, TV On The Radio from 2008 and Dancing Choose from the album 'Dear Science'. Your link is TV - On The Radio and Smith, lead singer of the Adverts.Carolyn: That's really tenuous.John: TV. It's TV. What's wrong with that?Carolyn: Hmmm....

Catfish and The Bottlemen - HomesickJohn: From Llandudno, this is their debut single. It's very commercial and I think it'll be a big hit.Carolyn: Yeah, I mean I like it, but can see it would have wide general appeal.John: I think it'll go well in America as well. Fair play to them. They've honed a sound in the pubs and clubs and they're going places. Just remember where you heard it first.

Deerhunter - Dream CaptainJohn: Again, loads of reverb and a really good feel to it. They're from Atlanta and have been around long enough. This is off their sixth studio album, 'Monomania', which came out in early May and I'm only just getting round to.Carolyn: Still working through that backlog?John: We're getting there.

Femme - Double TroubleJohn: Femme is Laura Bettinson, vocalist with Ultraista, but this is her solo project. She's from Coventry and this comes out on July 22. I'm saying that's got hit written all over it.